THE ETHIC OF ECONOMICS

THE ETHIC OF ECONOMICS

You must earn money but never burn money.

Written by Sugata Bose

P.S. Swamiji said that it is the householder's duty to earn in abundance along ethical lines and to be ever economical in the discharge of such wealth accumulated because the wealth so earned is for the upkeep of society and not merely for personal pleasurable disposal. Swamiji told America's first millionaire John D. Rockefeller that he was the trustee of God's wealth which it was his duty to spend judiciously for the welfare of the world. Rockefeller stormed out of Swamiji's audience but returned a fortnight later with detailed plans of his first public philanthropy amounting to an enormous sum of money. In general also Swamiji advised people to be economical in their disposal of money and never to be wasteful. So did Sri Ramakrishna. Hence, earning handsomely Swamiji enjoined as the householder's duty as mentioned in the Mahanirvan Tantra but burning money in fruitless ways he never espoused. Thrift when well-directed is a virtue par excellence.